5/1/2021 A Preliminary Analysis of the Myanmar Military Junta’s Media Propaganda – Tea Circle Image 6: “A Letter to My Sister” featured in The Mirror The local news section features the military junta’s cabinet ministers’ daily activities, comments on governmental issues, and COVID-19 updates. This section also tries to stimulate ethnic unity and Myanmar nationalism through the “74th Anniversary of Union Day’s objectives” and other slogans. The invitation to a pilgrimage to pay homage to the Shwedagon and Maha Myat Muni pagodas and reporting on military personnel’s cleaning of pagodas across the country clearly shows that the current military government is using religion to arouse nationalism and patriotism. In particular, high-ranking military of cials’ donations and offerings to monasteries and nunneries amount to an effort to gain public support by means of religion. Announcements that ethnic people and other civilians can receive healthcare services at the military hospitals—and that six non-military doctors have voluntarily joined military hospitals’ medical services—attempt to weaken the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) in the healthcare sector. Many articles also report union-level of cials and senior government of cers in Nay Pyi Taw getting COVID-19 vaccinations and describe the launching of a vaccination programme for elderly individuals over 65-years-old. These try to present a picture of normalcy, by showing that the vaccination procedures are carrying on amidst the Civil Disobedience Movement. Other news shows State Administration Council supporters taking to the streets in some townships of Mandalay and Bago. https://teacircleoxford.com/2021/03/09/a-preliminary-analysis-of-the-myanmar-military-juntas-media-propaganda/ 9/16